2000
#32,609
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 664
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.25
Very Rare Last name
Sandmann
A German surname meaning "sandman" or "sand dealer."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 900 Americans carry the last name Sandmann. That puts it at #31,582 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.26 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 380,838 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sandmann surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
900
1 in 380,838
Census rank
#31,582
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
785
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 785 bearers of the surname Sandmann in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.26 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 31582nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sandmann, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sandmann
The surname Sandmann has its origins in the German language, with the earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the northern regions of Germany, particularly in areas such as Lower Saxony and Westphalia.
The name Sandmann is derived from the German words "Sand" meaning sand, and "Mann" meaning man. It likely referred to an occupation or a nickname given to individuals who worked with sand, such as sandmen or sand carriers. In medieval times, sand was a valuable commodity used in construction, glassmaking, and other trades.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Sandmann can be found in the Lüneburg Monastic Records of 1289, which mention a "Hinricus Sandmann" living in the region. The name also appears in various town records and tax registers from the 14th and 15th centuries in cities like Hamburg, Bremen, and Lübeck.
Historically, the surname Sandmann has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Johannes Sandmann, a renowned theologian and professor at the University of Erfurt in the late 15th century. Another notable figure was Hans Sandmann, a merchant and trader from Lübeck who played a significant role in the Hanseatic League during the 16th century.
In the 17th century, the Sandmann family gained prominence in the region of Pomerania, where they held positions of influence in local government and the clergy. One prominent member was Ernst Sandmann (1625-1692), a Lutheran pastor and author who wrote extensively on theology and religious matters.
Moving into the 18th century, the Sandmann name was associated with several artists and scholars. Johann Jakob Sandmann (1717-1789) was a well-respected painter and engraver from Augsburg, known for his portraits and landscapes. Another notable figure was Gottfried Sandmann (1736-1804), a professor of philosophy and mathematics at the University of Göttingen.
In the 19th century, the Sandmann surname gained international recognition through the works of the German author E.T.A. Hoffmann. His famous short story "Der Sandmann" (The Sandman) featured a sinister character known as the Sandman, who was believed to steal the eyes of children who refused to go to sleep. This tale became a classic in German literature and has been widely studied and adapted in various forms.
Throughout history, the surname Sandmann has been found in various spellings, including Sandman, Sandman, and Sandemann, reflecting regional variations and changes over time. While the name originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, carried by individuals who migrated or established themselves in new territories.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sandmann
Among Census respondents with the surname Sandmann, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Sandmann bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Sandmann surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 739
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 22
- Two or more races2.2% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sandmann
Sandmann appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#30,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 754
+90 bearers (+13.6%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Up 1,746 places
2020
#31,582
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 785
+31 bearers (+4.1%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Down 719 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #32,609 | 664 | 0.25 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #30,863 | 754 | 0.26 | +90 bearers (+13.6%) | Up 1,746 places |
| 2020 | #31,582 | 785 | 0.26 | +31 bearers (+4.1%) | Down 719 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Sandmann surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #30,863 | #31,582 | -2.3% |
| Count | 754 | 785 | 4.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.26 | 0.26 | 1.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sandmann bearers went from 754 to 785 (+4.1% change). The surname moved down 719 positions in the national ranking, going from #30,863 to #31,582.
FAQ
Sandmann surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sandmann?
Name Census estimates that about 900 living Americans carry the surname Sandmann. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 380,838 residents.
How common is Sandmann?
Sandmann ranks #31,582 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.26 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 785 people with the surname Sandmann. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (900), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.26 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.26 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Sandmann.
Has Sandmann become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sandmann went from 754 recorded bearers to 785. That is an increase of 31 (+4.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #30,863 to #31,582.
What does the Census say about the background of Sandmann?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sandmann, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sandmann in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (739 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sandmann appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Hispanic (2.8%), Two or More Races (2.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Sandmann (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Sandmann mean?
A German surname meaning "sandman" or "sand dealer." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Sandmann (0.26 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Sandmann?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.